Apparatus for making rims



July 14, 193. A, B L ON 2,047,812

APPARATUS FOR MAKING RIMS Filed June 15, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 14, W36. A. B. WILSON APPARATUS FOR MAKING RIMS 5 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, '1934 having the 'construction illustrated in Patented July 14,1936

PATENT OFFICE inrrnnaaosroammnemms 'Klle'nBTWilsonfEvanston; 111., assignor to Acme jj "SteeFCompamy;Chicago;1ll., a'corpora'tion o'f Illinois iapplicai-ionaune 13, 1934; Serial No. 730,456 "'15"Cla'ims.- (om-53:21)

This invention relates to improvements inapparatus for making i rims and, inipar-ticular, ato apparatus adapted for making metallic rims of polygonal "form which'areadapted to over the ends of containers of corresponding @polygonal cross-section, such as theicontainerxand rim -idescribed andclaimed in theme-pending application of Chester MacChesney aSerial u-No. 730,413., filed June-13,- 1934;. Theyprincipal' object of fithe invention is to provide improvedxtorm :of apparatus adapted for use e'in iforming va metallic rim of polygonal form by applyingspre'ssuretoza metallic rim which is initiallyiormedras a circue lar rim of sheet metal or the iike; K'AJIOthGIBlObject of the invention is to. provide apparatus adapted to exert pressure radiallympomahmhular metallic rim forlthe' apurpose iof musingrthe rim to assume :a polygonal shape. wet-111 another object of the inventioniistoiaprovide rimproved apparatus adapted to receiveian'lannular metallic rim provided with an inwardly 'tiextending l tnansversely corrugated I flange and 'to' ".iconveiit this rim intoa member-of polygonal form havingiine wardly extending angularly :disposedaiflanges.

Another object "of *the iinventionzisritoi provide apparatus adapted to receiye 'rthe -.:annularvrim and "to exert radial ipressureronrthe irhn fboth inwardly and outwardly .fornthe ipurpose-pfifiattoning therinetal of the r-imfiotwe'enqaoints which become the .apices' of- :a'resulting polygonal :rim.

Other objects relate to'fvar'ious ifieaturesmf :m'm struction and arrangement-- will 1 appear more fully :hereinafter. t a V .l

The nature ofitheirivention'wtill beiunderstooii from *the :following iispecification 'taken' with 'ithe accompanying drawings, in 1 which ione' emb'o'diment of the:improvedvapparatusiisfiillustratedi In the drawings, a Figrlshowsa perspedtive 'yiew of assection d'f stripsteel' or the like iadapted'ito pedused'iin forming an annular metallieurim to belioperated up'on by the-apparatus .of the present invention; Fig. 2 'is a perspective view ofithe mtallic strip shown in Fig. 1 :after it has bee'moperated upon to form an inwardly extendinghtransverselyrcorrugated' flange \and'to :provi'de"holes ialong the bottom of the strip; h

Fig; 3 is a perspectiveviewro'f', ainomplete-mircular rim formed :by uniting'itheiends rof a stmp E18; Fig: 4 is a perspective rvi'ew fof 'ithei fcomplete rim of polygonal shapeiwh'ioh is fiormed tromi "the rim illustrated in -Fig; l3 'with i-zthe use of therapparatus of the presentzinverrtion;

portionlof the completed rim illustra-tedrin Fig.4; a Figx 6 shows a verticalsaxial section through the improvedapparatusiof the present invention, which is adapted to: form the rim illustrated in Fig; a loy operating upon the circular rim -illus- I5,v .trated in :Fig; 13; n. Fig. '7 'shows "an-enlarged :detail section through a;portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fight, the section being taken'on the line 1--! of Fig: :9;

Fig; Syshows a vertical section taken on the line-E-Bofliig. Grand {Fig.rQ shows alpartial 'view similar to of Fig. =with-the pressure fheads-lof 'tthe-- apparatus in the relative positions which they-=1oecupy inathe finafl 'stage of compressing *themimc-illustratedin Fig. 3 to cause'it torassume 'Iih'B'FPOIYgonal iorm -shown in Fig.4. V The present inventionimadapted torprod'uc'ea metallic 'rim, 26 of polygonal :torm, as :shown in Fig-114, having aplurality of depending'porti'ons 2.6 adapted-to conform to 'and fit-tagainst the outer surfaces 0f :the walls of a contairierzofssimilar eross-section, andalso a series of inwardly extending transversely corrugated flanges-32G which overlie :and 'normally engage :th'eToutensur 25 face of :theend wall of the container. vBefore employing ithe :apparatus of the present-invention, ;a"0iI,clI1arfrim'iS :first formed from an elongatedxstripfifl'io-f steel-or the like; a portion 901 which is shown .in Figicl. I-Iavingwprovided -the strip 2:30 of :zthe :desired width and length; it is operated upon by suitable dies and rollsy prefen ably by the method described and claimed in the United Statesxpatent of Messrs. Fork .and Kronquest-:No.1,731,955p1dated1Julyi29, 1930; thereby 35 producing-tithe structure illustrated in Figs ZJ- in which-:the'smetal strip has assumed the torm- 0f an upright body portion i30 providedwith -a transverse flange 36 ha'vin'g 'formed -thereima series of transverse parallelscorrugations'fifl. At the samerstime that the corrugated-flange flll' is formed ithei'lower edge 40f the :body portion- 30% is-ipunchedfiztorprovide a series of apertures? 31 whicht-avhen the completed rim is applied to-a container;-.are adapted to be eng-aged :byniails or thenlike ifor f'holding the rim"in ip'lace. -Atter forming ethe fianged strip :illustrated in "Fig; 2, the-trequired ihan'g th :of 'material of this formation iszbentiintotheform' of a circulartirim 3-2 ,-*as shown in m ns; andith'e overlapping ends of this rim are securedttogether' iby rivets -33 or other fastening'zmeans. During the'cprocess of bendin'g thisiiflan'ge'd strip into"the' form of the circular rim 32, athe'corrugationsififl contraot toward their rear extremities, thereby :causing adjacent corrugations to converge inwardly and permitting the flange to adjust itself to the circular form shown in Fig. 3 without causing the metal of the flange to bend or buckle or to depart from its position in a plane extending transversely to the annular depending body portion 30- of the rim. Having formed the circular flanged rim illustrated in Fig. 3, this rim is operated upon by the apparatus of the present invention, according to the method which is described and claimed in the co-pending application of Chester M. MacChesney and Allen B. Wilson Serial No. 730,412, filed June 13, 1934, thereby compressing certain portions of the rim and expanding other portions to produce the completed rim 26 of polygonal form which is shown in Fig. 4. During this process, the corrugated annular flange 36 assumes the form of a series of connected corrugated flanges 2|i having a polygonal relationship, in this instance, the form of an octagon, and the metal of the depending portion 3|! of the rim assumes the form of the several connected portions 26*- of the rim which are united with each other in the form of a polygon of true octagonal shape. As the flanges 26 are caused to assume the polygonal relationship, the inner ends of the corrugations adjacent the apices of the polygon become still narrower than they were in the circular rim but the inner ends of those corrugations which occupy intermediate positions become wider and these corrugations may assume substantially the parallel relationship they had in the straight flanged strip, shown in Fig. 2 from which the circular rim was formed.

The improved apparatus of the present invention which is adapted to produce the polygonal rim above described, is illustrated in Figs. 6, '7, 8 and 9, whereit is shown as comprising a frame 35 having a horizontal table 36 projecting outwardly therefrom and having an upright member 31 which carries a stationary cam spindle 38 arranged to project in a horizontal direction over the table 36. The spindle 38 supports a disk 40 having a hub 40 provided with a bushing 4| which is journaled on the spindle so that the disk 4|) is capable of being moved bodily inward from the position shown in Fig. 6 toward the upright member 31. The disk 40 carries around its outer edge a series of brackets 42 which form the heads of a series of cylinders 43, one of which is mounted upon each bracket. These cylinders are closed at their outer ends by heads 44 through which connectors 45 establish communication from the interiors of these cylinders to a pipe 46 leading from a source of supply of compressed fluid such as air or steam. The connections to these cylinders are controlled by a valve 41 so that compressed fluid may be admitted thereto for the purpose of actuating the pistons 48. Other connectors 45 are adapted to establish communication from the source of compressed fluid supply with the inner ends of the cylinders 43 so that the pistons 48 may be retracted after they have been moved inwardly by the admission of compressed fluid through the connectors 45. These pistons are connected to piston rods 49 which are slidably mounted in the brackets forming the inner heads of the cylinders and these piston rods carry at their inner ends, outside of the cylinders, the T shaped pressure heads 50 which are adapted to be moved inwardly by the action of the compressed fluid to engage the outer surfaces of the circular hoop 32 when this hoop is placed in the apparatus for the purpose of beingrtransformed into octagonal shape. The ends of the arms of the T shaped heads 50 are slightly beveled at the corners which engage the circular hoop or rim, as shown at 50 and they are also beveled transversely along their inner edges, as shown at 5|] in Fig. 7 so that when these heads are actuated they engage only those portions of the metal rim which lie in proximity to the transverse corrugated flange formed thereon. Upon the admission of compressed fluid to these cylinders 43, all of the pressure heads 5|] are actuated simultaneously.

When the circular hoop 32 is placed in the apparatus shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, it is supported on the inner side of the body portion 3|] of the rim by means of a series of inner pressure heads 5| which are mounted on plungers 52 arranged to slide in radial guideways 53 carried by the disk 4|]. These guideways are undercut so that the plungers 52 are retained in place therein and at their inner ends the plungers are provided with rollers 54 which are maintained in contact with the tapered cam faces 38 of the spindle 38 by coil springs 52 mounted in cylindrical recesses formed in the ends of the plungers and engaging brackets 52 secured to the disk 40. When the disk 40 is moved longitudinally of the cam spindle 38, the tapered cam faces 38, engaging the rollers 54, cause the plungers 52 to be projected radially outward in their guideways, thus causing the inner pressure heads 5| to move outwardly against the surrounding metal rim and thereby assist in imparting to this rim the final octagonal shape shown in Fig. 4. The pressure heads 5| are triangular in radial cross-section and have opposite angularly disposed faces 5| which are inclined toward each other at an angle corresponding to that between the faces of two adjacent side walls l6 of the container to which the rim is to be applied. The faces 5| of the pressure heads 5| are beveled outwardly away from the axis of the spindle 38 adjacent their rear edges which are disposed in proximity to the plungers 52, as shown at 5| in Fig. '7, so that when the rim is completed by being pressed against and expanded outwardly by the pressure heads 5|, the sections 26 of the completed rim are flared outwardly to a slight extent as shown at 26 in Figs. 4 and 7.

The movement of the disk 40 longitudinally of the spindle 3B, which brings about the outward radial movement of the inner pressure heads 5|, is effected by means of a pressure plate or disk 55 which is mounted with its axis coincident with the axis of the spindle 38. The disk 55 is provided with a central recess 55 which is adapted to receive the tapered extremity of the spindle 38 when the disk 55 is moved to its extreme position toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 6, during the process of forming the rim, and the disk is carried by a rod 56 formed in two sections which have their inner portions screw-threaded and engaged by a turnbuckle 51 so that the effective length of the rod may be varied to compensate for variations in the diameters of the sheet metal hoops being operated upon by the apparatus. The 6 rod 56 is pivotally connected by a pin 58 with a piston rod 59 by which the plate or disk 55 is actuated. This piston rod is connected to a piston 66 located in a cylinder 6| which is supported on the table 36 by means of an angle bar 62. Compressed fluid, such as compressed air or the like, may be admitted to the inner and outer ends of the cylinder 6| through the pipes 63 and 64, respectively, which may be controlled by valves in order to move the plate or disk 55 in either direction; asdesired. The disk 55 is held against rotation and is supported We guide rod which is connected to the lower portion of the plate'or disk and arranged to slide in bearing blocks'lifi carried bythe table 36. The'lower portionof the plate or disk 55'is prov'idedwith a projecting car 55' engaged by a rod Blwhich is held in fixed relation to the disk 55'butwhich has a sliding engagement with the disk 40 through an aperture 40 formed therein. 7 The inner 'end of this rod 61 is threaded for engagement by lock nuts '68 whichmay be adjusted to regulate the normal position of the disk 55 with respect to the disk 40. When the disk or plate 55 is retracted by the admission of compressed fluid to theinner end of the cylinder 6|, the disklfi is moved outwardly upon the'c'am spindle 38 by reason of the connection established between the 'tWo disks by the rod 61, and when the disk 55 moves inwardly'toward the disk 40, the rod 61 is permitted to slide freely in the aperture 48 to project rearwardly beyond the disk 40.

In the operation of the apparatus heretofore described, the circular rim is first placed over the inner pressure heads 5| with the corrugated flange 30 extending in a vertical direction adjacent the front faces of these pressure heads. Upon admitting compressed fluid to the outer end of the cylinder til, the pressure plate or disk 55 is moved inwardly toward the disk 40 until it engages -the vertically extending corrugated flange 30 of the rim and then, upon continued movement of the pressure plate 55, the disk 49 and all parts carried thereby are moved bodily along the spindle 38 toward the frame member 31 with the result that the plungers 52are projected outwardly, thereby causing a corresponding outward radial movement of the pressure heads 5|, thereby expanding the metal of the circular rim 32 and tending to cause it to assume the final octagonal shape shown in Fig. 4. The engagement of the pressure heads 5| of triangular cross-section with the inner surface of the metallic rim may be sufficient to complete the formation of the octagonal shape in those parts of the rim which are removed from the transverse flange 30 but, owing to the stiffness of the rim in the region of this corrugated flange, it is desirable to bring the outer pressure heads 50' into play for the purpose of flattening out those portions of the metal rim which are located between the apices of the inner pressure heads 5|, it being noted that the inner pressure heads are each mounted to move along a radial line located midway between the radial paths of movement of the two next adjacent outer pressure heads 50. The inward movement of these pressure heads 50 flattens the metal of'the rim adjacent thecorrugated flange, radially inward against the faces of the inner pressure heads 5| and thus assists the action which isbrought about by the outward radial movement of the inner pressure heads. In order to cause the inward movementrof the pressure heads 50 to take place automatically after a predetermined movement of the disks 55 and 40,

a block "iii i'smounted on a bracket 1| carried by the plate 3'! and this block has an inclined face W adapted to engage the valve stem 41$ and open the valve 41 so that the heads 5|] may be caused to move inwardly in the desired time relation to the outward movement of the heads 5|. Because of the desirability of forming a sharp angle between each two adjacent sections 01' the octagonal rim, the apices 5| 0 of the inner pressure heads are preferably arranged toprdiect 3 slightlyoutward beyond the point of intersection ofplanes containing the faces 5 of the pressure head andthis slight outward projection cooperateswith the bevels 5% formed at the ends of the outerpressure heads to cause a slight outward projection of the metal of the octagonal rim at the points of connection of two adjacent sections 26 of the rim. Because of the action of the inner pressure heads in expanding the metal of the rim adjacent the apices 26 of the rim betweeritwo adjacent sections thereof, and the action of the outer pressure heads in flattening out the metal between these apices in the rim, the transversely extending corrugated flange is subjected to forces tending to contract it adjacent the apices 26 and toexpand it at points midway between these apices and it has been found that by reason of the corrugation of the transverse flange of the rim, prior to imparting the octagonal or other polygonal shape thereto, the various portions of the transverse flange adjust themselves automatically to these varying forces tending to distort different parts of the flangein different ways and the flange thus maintains its position in a plane extending transversely to the axis of the disks 40 and 55 inasmuch as the corrugations at points midway between the apices of the rim radially expand at their inner extremities, as shown at 26 until the corrugations are substantially parallel, while at points adjacent the apices of the rim these corrugations are contracted more closely upon each other as shown at 26 with their inner extremities lying in closer relation than their outer extremities. This action of the corrugated flange of the rim is assisted by the engagement therewith of the pressure plate 55 and it will be observed that the action of the pressure plate 55, when it projects the corrugated flange against the vertical faces of the inner pressure heads 5|, also serves to project the body portion of the rim upwardly, over the tapered surfaces 5| of the inner pressure heads, thereby imparting to the edge of the rim the flared portion 25 heretofore referred to. Owing to the independent fluid connections which are made with the cylinders 43, the outer pressure heads 55 may be operated to move inwardly simultaneously with the outward movement of the inner pressure heads 5| or the inward movement of the outer pressure heads may be caused to take place at any other time which'is adapted to bring about the best results in the formation of the rim.

'Although one form of the improved rim forming apparatus has been shown and described by way of illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructed in various other embodiments coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination in apparatus for forming hexagonal rims, of an annular series of pressure members each having an angular outer edge adapted to fit an apex of a hexagon, said pressure members being adapted to extend within a circular metallic rim, and means for moving said pressure members and said annular rim longitudinally of the axisrof said rim and thereby causing outward movement of said pressure members.

2. The combination in apparatus for forming polygonal rims, of an annular series of pressure members each having an angular outer edge, said pressure members being adapted to extend within an angular m'etallicrim, means for moving said pressure-members radially outward, a second series of pressure members located on the outer side of said rim, each of said outer pressure members occupying a position between two of said first named pressure members, and means for effecting inward movement of said second named pressure members.

3. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal rim, of a series of inner pressure members each having an angular outer edge, said pressure members being adapted to extend within a surrounding metallic rim, an outer series of pressure members located on the outer side of said rim and arranged in staggered relation to said inner pressure members, each of said outer pressure members having a straight inner edge to coact with said rim, and means for efiecting outward movements of said inner pressure members and inward movements of said outer pressure members.

4. The combination in apparatus for forming a hexagonal rim, of means adapted to extend within and support an annular metallic rim, a series of pressure members spaced uniformly around the outside of said rim, said pressure members having flat inner edges, and means for moving said pressure members inwardly to impart a hexagonal form to said rim.

5. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal rim, of means adapted to extend within and support an annular metallic rim, a series of pressure members spaced uniformly around the outside of said rim, said pressure members having flat inner edges, and fluid pressure means for moving said pressure members inwardly against said rim. 7

6. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal rim, of means adapted to extend within and support an annular metallic rim, a series of pressure members spaced around the outside of said rim, said pressure members having flat rimengaging surfaces beveled at their ends, and means for moving said pressure members inwardly against said rim.

'7. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal rim having a flare along one edge, of a series of inner pressure members adapted to extend within and support a cylindrical metallic rim, said pressure members being flared at one edge transversely to the axis of said rim, means for moving said pressure members and said rim longitudinally of the axis of said rim to cause said flared portions of said pressure members to produce an annular flare on said rim, and means actuated by said movement of said pressure members for causing said pressure members to move radially outward to impart a polygonal form to said rim.

8. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal rim having a flare along one edge, of a series of inner pressure members adapted to extend within and support a cylindrical metallic rim, said pressure members being flared at one edge transversely to the axis of said rim, means for moving said pressure members and said rim longitudinally of the ax s of said rim to cause said flared portions of said pressure members to produce an annular flare on said rim, means actuated by said movement of said pressure members for causing said pressure members to move radially outward to impart a polygonal form to said rim, a series of outer pressure members positioned around the outside of said rim, each of said outer pressure members being located between the paths of radial movement of two of said inner pressure members, and means for moving said outer pressure members radially inward to press inwardly those portions of said rim which are located between said inner pressure members.

9. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal rim having a flare along one edge, of a series of inner pressure members adapted to extend within and support a cylindrical metallic rim, said pressure members being flared at one edge transversely to the axis of said rim, means for moving said pressure members and said rim longitudinally of the axis of said rim to cause said flared portions of said pressure members to produce an annular flare on said rim, means actuated by said movement of said pressure members for causing said pressure members to move radially outward to impart a polygonal form to said rim, a series of outer pressure members positioned around the outside of said rim, each of said outer pressure members being located between the paths of radial movement of two of said inner pressure members, and means for moving said outer pressure members radially inward to press inwardly those portions of said rim which are located between said inner pressure members, said outer pressure members being adapted to engage only those portions of said rim which are removed from said flared portion.

10. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal flanged rim, of a series of radially movable inner pressure members each having an angular outer edge corresponding to the angle between two sides of the polygonal rim to be formed, said pressure members being adapted to extend within and support an annular metallic rim having an inwardly extending flange along one edge, a pressure plate adapted to engage said flange and move said rim and said pressure members longitudinally of the axis of said rim, and means actuated by said movement for efiecting radial outward movement of said pressure members.

11. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal flanged rim, of a series of radially movable inner pressure members each having an angular outer edge corresponding to the angle between two sides of the polygonal rim to be formed, said pressure members being adapted to extend within and support an annular metallic rim having an inwardly extending flange along one edge, a pressure plate adapted to engage said flange and move said rim and said pressure members longitudinally of the axis of said rim, a stationary spindle having inclined end surfaces, and means coacting with said surfaces for effecting radial outward movement of said pressure members during said longitudinal movement of said pressure plate.

12. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal flanged rim, of a series of radially movable inner pressure members each having an angular outer edge corresponding to the angle between two sides of the polygonal rim to be formed, said pressure members being adapted to extend within and support an annular metallic rim having an inwardly extending flange along one edge, a pressure plate adapted to engage said flange and move said rim and said pressure members longitudinally of the axis of said rim, means actuated by said movement for effecting radial outward movement of said pressure members, a series of radially movable outer pressure members each having a path of movement midway between the paths of two of said inner pressure members, and means actuated by said longitudinal movement of said pressure plate for causing radial inward movement of said outer pressure members.

13. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal flanged rim, of means for holding the flange of a circular rim having an inwardly extending flange, and means for exerting pressure radially on said annular rim to impart to it a polygonal form while said flange is so held.

14. The combination in apparatus for forming a polygonal flanged rim, of a series of pressure members for engaging a cylindrical rim having an inwardly extending transversely corrugated flange, means for engaging opposite sides of said inwardly extending flange and holding it in one plane, and means for efiecting radial movement 'of said pressure members to impart a polygonal form to said rim.

15. The combination in apparatus for forming polygonal rims, of an annular series of pressure members each having a face shaped to conform of pressure members being normally spaced apart to permit a circular rim to be inserted between the two series, means for moving the pressure members of one series radially inward, and means for moving the pressure members of the other series radially outward, whereby said circular rim is converted into polygonal form.

ALLEN B. WILSON. 

